14 The planter plants the word. 15 These are the ones on the path where the word is planted: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is planted in them. 16 And these are the ones planted on rocky ground: when they hear the word, they immediately receive it with joy. 17 But they have no root, and endure only for a while; then, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. 18 And others are those planted among the thorns: these are the ones who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world, and the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and suffocate the word, and it produces nothing. 20 And these are the ones planted on the good soil: they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty and sixty and a hundred times as much.”

when they hear

The common denominator for each soil in the illustration is this: each hears the word. Let us never forget that. The message has to be communicated, or else the planting has not been done. We are not responsible for the response, but we are responsible for giving people an opportunity to respond – something to respond to.

LORD, help us to get your excellent message out to our families, communities, and nations.